Review Alo Restaurant - Toronto

Amazing experience. Great food. Every single item on the tasting menu is fabulous (least favorite was the cucumber/fish). Service was immaculate. Attentive without over bearing. I am so so glad to have a chance to dine here before Michelin is announced.

If you’re able to get a table, this is a must try experience in Toronto. My partner and I went here for an anniversary and loved it. While it’s pricy for sure, the quality of service, multiple courses and delicious plates more than justifies the price tag. The pasta dish was incredible and the main protein was amazing. After 7-8 courses, they cap the night off with an amazing chocolate box and spread of teas. Thanks to the staff for an amazing experience.

Great tasting menu, I would recommend everyone come at least once if you have the budget. The service is excellent. The food is delicious and well presented, although I found a few dishes quite salty. The atmosphere does not strike me as extremely high end. For those looking to secure a reservation, you gotta book as soon as the spots for the following months open! Check Tock to see exactly when they’re opening new reservations and set a reminder in your calendar!

If there is a better fine dining experience in Canada I haven’t found it. Such a great experience. We did the tasting menu in the dining room. It’s absolutely stunning. Muted colours, modern meets classic. Not overly huge. Just a great place to have a meal. Staff and service are on par with 3 Michelin star experiences we’ve been lucky enough to have. They are on point. Everyone is incredibly knowledgeable of the menu, drinks etc. Every person we interacted with made our evening better. Wine list and pairings were impeccable. I think it was Brittany who looked after wine and she was on point. It’s like she could read my mind haha. Food was near perfect. Every course came in great timing. Flavours were so well balanced. Really unique dishes. Plating was so good. Blind menu was a really cool experience. Canada has some amazing food to offer but when it comes to the overall luxury experience, this is it. If you’re on the fence, book it, you will not regret it.

The tasting menu is gorgeous and delicious. Food, wine pairings and service are impeccable. Very special thanks to Michael, Christopher and Julia who hit the perfect spot of sophistication at the same time as feeling like home. We’ll definitely be back

Paid a but extra to sit at the kitchen counter - menu is slightly different than the dining table. Absolutely loved everything on the menu! Service was impeccable as always and I can't wait to come back!

The overall experience is great! Definitely worth trying the tasting menu. 5/5 service: The service is detail oriented and I believe it is perfect. The service knew exactly when to step in without being notified and was not overbearing. 4/5 food: Every dish was good with quality ingredients and prepared well , however not every bite was super memorable. We enjoyed the east coast scallop , miyazaki A5 beef , egg custard and Japanese rice the most.

My favourite restaurant I love to go. Everything is great and I am so happy I went last month and also will go this Friday. Hopefully this month they have new menu to surprise me.

Tasting Menu was an experience to remember.<br/><br/>Got the tasting menu as a gift and it was beyond anything we imagined. The service was spectacular, the 14 course meal came out a the perfect pace; never once felt rushed or like we were waiting. Sat at the chef's counter, where we had great line of sight into the inner workings of the kitchen.<br/><br/>Highly recommend doing the wine pairing & cheese course (you can't say no to black truffle). For such a high end restaurant, it felt welcoming and warm.<br/><br/>Of course the food was incredible. Every bite was layered and delightful

The service and food was beyond my expectations. They truly deserve to be Canada’s number 1 restaurant <br/><br/>I normally don’t expect much from hyped up restaurants. I’ve been to too many where the service or food didn’t meet price tag attached. Or the wait time. <br/><br/><br/>Alo’s chefs and staff are amongst the best I’ve ever experienced. This rivals the service and food I received at the Penninsula Hotel in Hong Kong. <br/><br/>The food was so different from anything I’ve ever tasted. From the the foie gras sauce on the mushrooms to the superb pork belly. The chefs are on point. The 3 courses of dessert were unique and heavenly. <br/><br/>The manager Yan has the restaurant running like a well oiled machine. Every last server knew what was in every dish. Your water glass will never be empty. <br/><br/><br/>I can’t wait to go back.

If there is one undisputed king of restaurants in Canada right now, it's Toronto's Alo. Located on Queen West at the iconic corner of Queen and Spadina, Chef and owner Patrick Kriss has created an empire to say the least. Now with three different restaurants on the go, each one receiving tons of praise, Alo is truly the jewel atop his crown. Most notably, Alo has been the #1 restaurant in Canada for the past three years in a row on Canada's equivalent to the Michelin Guide (Michelin does not come to Canada, however if it did, I am certain that Alo would be awarded three stars). #7 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2016, #1 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2017, #1 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2018 and #1 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2019. They've accomplished a pretty explosive entry onto the fine dining scene if you ask me. blogTO also named them #1 Best Tasting Menu and Toronto Life listed them as #1 on The City’s 100 Best Restaurants 2018. What more is there to say? We've brought out the big guns with Alo.<br/><br/>I am extremely fortunate to be able to say that I have eaten at Alo three times now, all within one year. This is almost a feat within itself because getting a reservation is nearly impossible and somewhat terrifying. They open two-month reservation blocks at a time, and if you are not refreshing your browser like a madman at the exact minute that tables become available, you can kiss your Alo experience goodbye. It's like buying concert tickets.<br/><br/>On my most recent visit, we managed to get in for a 9pm seating on a Friday night. Located atop a heritage building downtown, they do not offer any parking. However we've always been lucky at grabbing street parking nearby. Entering though their fairly nondescript door, you're first met by the hostess at a desk next to an elevator door. Once you've given your name, you ride the slow elevator up to the 3rd floor. (It might even be slow on purpose, to build suspense.) The elevator door opens and you've arrived in foodie heaven.<br/><br/>The hostess upstairs will offer to take your coat and she'll usually remember you from previous visits. On this occasion, our table was not ready for us yet and we were offered a window seat next to the bar. The bar area itself is gorgeous, with incredible wallpaper on the far wall. It's the height of the cosmopolitan world and you can feel it. A server came to take our drink order while we waited and I selected a cocktail called a Pine to Palm (Tanqueray Gin, Campari, Pineapple, Lemon-Lime.<br/> Refreshing with a fruity, bitter-sweet kick - $15.00). This expertly-mixed cocktail hit it on the nail for me and was everything that I wanted it to be. Sweet, bitter, light, tart. It felt simple and playfully sophisticated. Perfect sips to kick off the evening.<br/><br/>It took quite a bit longer than usual for us to be seated, at least half an hour past the time of our reservation. We received several apologizes, however I honestly didn't mind the opportunity to hang out with a cocktail before the entire feast began. Before long we were transported into the dining room and seated at our table, kitchen adjacent. On all three of my visits, I have been seated directly next to the kitchen and have always enjoyed the view of the incredible proceedings that take place. The dining room is quite small, with no more than 15 tables available. The vibe is downtown-chic. The details are subtle and impactful. Bench seating is wrapped in grey leather and the curtains dress the room in deep teal. Gold accents can be found all around you, from the lighting to the cutlery rest. One of the first things that happens is a server will come over to offer you your choice of napkin, producing a tray of linens. I always take the same grey napkin each time. Next is the offering of sparkling or still water, to which I took sparkling. Unfortunately, on this particular visit, the servers seemed unable to keep my table's water preferences straight. My glass was refilled with still water on several occasions, and then again with sparkling, to the point of having a complete mix of both types of water. My co-diners who had chosen still water kept getting sparkling water poured into their glasses as well. I didn't bother mentioning it, and nothing like this had occurred on my previous visits.<br/><br/>Apart from the mix-up with the water, the service at Alo is second to none. The whole thing operates at such an elevated level of hospitality, that just watching the machine in action is impressive and entertaining in itself. The servers are endlessly professional yet friendly and unpretentious. Each step of the meal is orchestrated to perfection, from each person's plate arriving at the exact same moment, to the delivery of brand new cutlery for each individual course. From the precision culinary artistry taking place in the kitchen to the choreographed dance of the wait staff, the entire spectacle is a sight to behold. Chef Patrick Kriss himself is almost always on hand, overseeing the entire operation. One minute he was monitoring the dining room and the next he was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on dishes.<br/><br/>Alo offers a blind, multi-course tasting menu. There is no menu whatsoever. They call themselves a contemporary French restaurant, however influences from many other countries are always apparent, most notably Japan. They celebrate the finest in seasonal ingredients. At its core, Alo truly offers an internationally inspired menu prepared using classic French techniques.<br/><br/>The Dining Room Tasting Menu will cost you $135 per person with a non-refundable $50 per person deposit upon making the reservation. They also offer wine pairings. While this price is by no means "cheap" I do feel that the value is very good.<br/><br/>The menu has been different every time that I have visited, although there has always been a few similarities as well. The journey and the anticipation of what is to come creates an incredible, unmatched thrill.<br/><br/>First to arrive was our Canapé. The plating and presentation at Alo can be described as nothing else but art. The amount of thought that goes into each and every plate that leaves the kitchen is mind-boggling. Starting from the left, pomme soufflé; crispy yukon gold potato resting over top of yuzu crème fraiche, garnished with chives and caviar. Delicious! I loved the salty dots of caviar. Next, a savoury pepper sandwich; filled with some type of seafood with artichoke and preserved lemon on top. This was very big on flavour, offering a tangy bite. Last, a Kusshi oyster from British Columbia; served with artichoke sauce, finished with capicola ham and meyer lemon. Kusshi is one of my favourite types of oysters and this one was dressed so beautifully - probably the best oyster that I've ever popped into my mouth. Our first tastes were amazing and filled us with excitement knowing that this was only the beginning.<br/><br/>As if like magic, each course arrives at exactly the right time, somehow calculating the precise moment when you'll be ready to move on. At no point does the meal feel rushed and you are never left waiting too long for the next plate to arrive either. They've got it down to a science.<br/><br/>Next to arrive was our Amuse-bouche: Snail Eggs. A new ingredient for me, I don't believe that I've ever tried snail eggs before! From Burgundy, France, the snail caviar sat in a dashi jell and shiso oil. Dotted with poached Yukon gold potato, sancho leaf and pickled ginger. This dish was incredibly light, bright and citrusy. I noted that the snail caviar provided a very earthy flavour, unlike fish caviar which is very salty. This small dish acted as a nice palate cleanser at the beginning of our meal.<br/><br/>Next to arrive was our first "real" course: Hokkaido Sea Scallop, Chamomile, Lemonquat, Begonia. Alo typically begins their tasting menu with a few dishes that highlight fish and seafood, bringing in some lighter plates before the food gets more heavy and rich. We all loved this dish that involved fresh Hokkaido sea scallops from Japan, a chamomile crème fraiche, finished off with begonia and pepper flowers and preserved lemonquat. This was so delicate and buttery. I often find edible flowers to be a bit bitter, but not so in this case. This dish happily offered a little taste of spring.<br/><br/>Our second course: Kanpachi, Kefir Yoghurt, Cucumber, Turnip. Just look at the perfect glisten on that fish! Kanpachi is a type of Amberjack fish from Japan. It was resting in kefir yoghurt with an herb oil, served with Persian cucumbers, fermented chili, Tokyo turnips and fresh dill. The sear on the fish couldn't have been more perfect, the skin delightfully crispy. Overall, this dish tasted very strongly of dill which worked nicely with the fermented items on the plate.<br/><br/>Our third course: Big Eye Tuna, Green Curry, Young Coconut, Lemon Balm. This dish offered some big Asian flavours thanks to the coconut and green curry sauce. The tuna was topped with Japanese parsley, braised peanuts, rice pearls and lemon balm. I was struck by the gorgeous colour of the fish, a jewel-toned ruby hue, served practically rare. We all agreed that the curry was some of the best that we've ever tasted and I thought that it balanced beautifully with the fish.<br/><br/>Our fourth course: Morel Mushroom, Foie Gras, White Asparagus, Iceplant. This dish was our favourite course so far! Too incredible to put into words! Morel mushrooms filled with Cremini mushroom purée and tarragon, drenched in foie gras sauce, with baby turnips and radishes and julienne white asparagus. This was insane. So many of my favourite ingredients and flavours were on this plate and each once was highlighted incredibly well. The foie gras sauce was velvety and amazing. Meanwhile, the beautiful morels brought an earthiness. This dish blew us away.<br/><br/>Our fifth course: St. Canut Pork Belly, Mutsu Apple, Brussels Sprout, Pork Fat Emulsion. Pork belly is a pretty trendy ingredient and I tend to find it a bit overrated. It's almost never cooked properly and gets served as a gelatinous mess. This, of course, was the complete opposite. This pork belly (from Quebec) was roasted and served with apple butter and apple gastrique in a ham hock jus. Accompanied by Brussels sprouts and a pork fat emulsion. This dish was an explosion of big flavours from each component on the plate! From the richness of the pork to the sweet acidity of the apple, this was the best pork belly that I’ve ever had, easily. Cooked perfectly, with a crackling that tasted more like candy. Reminiscing about each item on this plate sends me into a frenzy - everything was so perfect!<br/><br/>Arriving at our sixth course, we were given a choice. We could proceed with the "included" dish; Lamb Saddle. Or we could upgrade to the A5 Wagyu for an additional charge ($65.00). I found this quite interesting since on our previous two visits, Wagyu was automatically included in the tasting menu without having to pay extra for it. None the less, I took the upgrade because I know how incredible their Wagyu is.<br/><br/>My sixth course: A5 Wagyu Striploin, Fava Bean, Ramp, Mustard Jus with Bread & Butter. The only word to describe this piece of meat is "sublime." Known as “The Ultimate Beast,” this is the exquisitely marbled beef for which Japan is legendary. The quality of the beef is almost ludicrous - across the whole planet, there is nothing better. Allow the incoherent salivating to ensue. Served with white asparagus, pickled ramps and the season’s first fava beans. The Wagyu... Is steak butter. It melted in my mouth. It's incredibly rich and of course was served perfectly medium-rare. (They don't even ask how you want it to be cooked because there is no other way!) This is the most superior meat in the world and it did not disappoint. Plus this dish gets delivered to you with Alo's famous bread along with cultured butter from Normandy. The bread is a buttermilk heaven and perfect in every way. I can think of no better accompaniment for this mind-blowing striploin. This is basically Alo's signature dish. What more is there to say?<br/><br/>At this point we had completed all of the main courses, were holding our bellies with glee, and had ridiculous smiles plastered across our faces. We were allowed to marinate in this euphoria for a little while before being approached about desserts - because of course there are desserts. (Plural!)<br/><br/>We now had the option to add in a cheese course for an additional charge. We decided to forgo the cheese this time due to the earlier Wagyu upgrade. On my last visit we were offered the same cheese course and went ahead with it because back then the Wagyu had been included.<br/><br/>I did however select some tea to drink; Sloane Fine Tea Merchants' Rouge Provence (South African red rooibos blended with blueberries and fine French florals. Fresh and elegant with a sweet bouquet - $5.00). An incredible tea box that lights up comes to the table with a selection of nine different teas inside. You're able to read their descriptions and tasting notes, and to smell each one (the Heavenly Cream tea also smelled amazing). I always choose the Rouge Provence because it's a caffeine-free tisane, which I prefer at night. I was given an entire personal tea set, the best part being the tea timer. Each hourglass results in a different tea strength and you're supposed to remove the teabag from the pot once your desired level of steep is reached. I enjoy this rooibos with milk and sugar and it's always floral and lovely.<br/><br/>Time for dessert! Our Pre-Dessert: Passion Fruit, Beignet. These were made with the intention of mimicking the canapé that we had received at the beginning. Starting on the left, a lemon ricotta beignet; finished with finger lime on top. On the right, a meringue sandwich; with passion fruit frozen yogurt on the inside and a sprinkle of espelette pepper and lime zest on top. These were both quite fresh and zippy. They reminded me a bit of a palate-cleaning sorbet course, clearing away all of the richness that we had just ingested.<br/><br/>Our First Dessert: Rhubarb, Labneh, Buttermilk. This dessert was designed to symbolize the beginning of spring. Rhubarb Campari compote and orange rhubarb with a labneh espuma and a sprinkle of fennel pollen and dehydrated buttermilk on top. This dish was fruity and light, a celebration of fresh flavours.<br/><br/>Our Second Dessert: Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut, Pear. This one involved a chocolate semifreddo sitting atop a chocolate hazelnut cake. Beautifully topped with candied ginger and compressed pear and chocolate tokins. A great way to enjoy chocolate without the heaviness that can sometimes come along with chocolate desserts. I really appreciated that all of the desserts are thoughtful enough to be kept small and fairly light, given the amount of food that had already been consumed.<br/><br/>Finally, accompanying our final dessert we received some Petit Fours. A Grand Marnier macaron resting over cocoa nibs. A perfectly made, sweet bite. And a chocolate mousse filled bon-bon with a touch of cinnamon and chili. This little truffle packed a bit of a punch and was decadently delicious.<br/>Toward the end of the evening the speakers were playing Motown classics that added an incredible chill vibe to the room. We were feeling satiated. We had been on a culinary adventure. <br/>The meal is perfectly portioned so that you can eat (and enjoy!) everything that gets served without feeling full until the very end. While there were a few shortcomings on this particular visit, overall Alo provides a seamless experience. This is what they're known for and the name that they have created for themselves.<br/><br/>The entire service takes close to three hours. In addition to being a rather large monetary expense, it also requires quite a lot of time. However, all things considered, I would say that the experience is exciting and worthwhile. The incredible food lives up to the hype and the service is impeccable. As one final touch, each guest is given a copy of the evening's menu to take home with them. Alo shines in the details and everyone should try them at least once if possible.

This is definitely a place that those who appreciate fine food and wine should find an opportunity to visit. It is worth a trip. Every dish was special. The wine steward is knowledgable and can help you find an appropriate bottle or a set of glasses. It was amazing watching the staff as the meal progressed - like a well-oiled machine. But unlike a machine all of the staff are helpful, engaging and professional. Many of the dishes were among the best we have had.

wasn't sure if the hype would live up to the taste of the food but it was honestly DELICIOUS! Every dish was better than the one before and the staff was quite friendly. We had the tasting menu at the kitchen and asked a lot of questions. Was fascinating to watch the staff make the food and learn more about each dish. Honestly it was a foodie's delight and even was a great meal for non-foodies too! This is definitely a special place for special occasions but what a way to celebrate!

Amazing customer service, etiquete, timing. The price is a little higher than I was expecting and comparing to other French cuisine and high dinner. But it is worth it

There is a reason that it is so difficult to get a reservation. This is the best restaurant in the city. Everything is taken care of so you can enjoy the entire experience. The food is inventive, daring and it tastes great. The wine pairings enhanced the delightful tastes. A marvellous evening.

Finally had a chance to get into the much talked about Alo in Spadina and it didn’t disappoint.<br/><br/>Booking took a week to finally get it done and I had to call in a favour. They send you a rezzy link once confirmed and they take 50.00 per person from the card. It gets credited towards the meal as long as you show up.<br/><br/>Service is very good and food is outstanding. Decor is second to none.

Everything about the whole dining experience was just exquisite. Extraordinary array of taste and texture in the food served, fantastic service, and cozy dining ambience just made the whole experience unforgettable.

Great experience, incredible food. Would totally recommend to anyone. The service was great as well. They were attentive and kind. The food was incredible and would recommend the tasting menu.

Alo definitely deserves being #1 in Canada's Best Restaurant list. Everything about my dining experience here was seamless. The portions seem small but there are so many dishes that you are full by the end of your meal since there are so many courses. I recommend doing the wine pairing as you are indulging anyways and you might as well doing it right. It took me over 3 months to get a reservation but it was worth waiting. The staff members were awesome and attentive. The decor is stunning and the food does not disappoint. The only dish I was not a fan of was the Butternut squash, Sudachi, Caramel dessert. Overall, I would highly recommend splurging and going to Alo for a special occasion. Every bite is like magic in your mouth. See pictures for menu and details for each dish. I cannot wait to dine at Alo again.

Alo Restaurant is a French restaurant known for its tasting menu served in stylish, serene surrounds atop a Victorian building. It is currently one of the top restaurants in Toronto: No. 7 in Canada’s

The Anticipation<br/><br/>We were told by my boyfriend’s friend that THIS is the restaurant to go to, at least if you are from Toronto. He raved about it as the most godly restaurant and experience ever. We were obviously blown away. It seems like he has visited many other restaurants in the past, especially those that were in fine dining and it gave us some hope. We love eating. Not like we are amazing critics ourselves, but we couldn’t wait to make our mark at Alo. The reservation process is deadly, we had to wait 3 months before our scheduled spot. Believe it or not, it’s like buying tickets to a Beyonce concert, every night at 12am I’m on OpenTable trying to get the next available time slot. To my dismay, the only time I could get was at 9:30pm. What a bummer.<br/><br/>On the night of our reservation, Toronto was blessed with the worst weather ever lol. Anyhow, we were freezing and tried to stay indoors as long as possible at a Toronto library. When we finally stepped foot into the restaurant, we were relieved. But even though we arrived early (15 minutes prior), we still have to wait a bit before our table was ready – and that’s okay. It seems like they were well equipped to serve people who came in early, small cushions near the window with a nicely lit bar in the middle.<br/><br/>Service<br/><br/>This is where I will say I agree with the majority. Service was great, I love everyone’s attitude and attention to detail. At points throughout our stay, I did find it a little overwhelming that so many different individuals were contributing to our night. From one girl handing out our napkins, to a completely different person cleaning table, and finally our waiter (who was my fave btw) that zipped in and out throughout the night. Don’t fret, I’m not complaining, it was unique, but I’m a little traditional and wish we had less people serving us throughout the night. With less people, I felt I could probably make a better connection. Anyhow, service is still good, and I would give them lots of points for this.<br/><br/>Food<br/><br/>How do I put it? It was a letdown, is that too harsh? No, I don’t think so. While the artsy part of the dishes were obvious in each of the dishes, the taste was forgettable. It’s like going to a gourmet burger place, only to be served with a Wendy’s cheeseburger. Just because it looks better, doesn’t mean it actually tastes good. I can tell that the chefs put a lot of effort into arranging the design, but do they know that the combination does not blend? Most of the dishes were either too sour or too salty. At one point, I couldn’t even finish my meal because the sauce was so overwhelming, a pity. Don’t get me wrong, all the dishes were edible. But for the price we were paying, edible doesn’t cut it. When I come into a restaurant like this, I’m expecting to be wowed. I want something no less than my experience dining at Jacobs or Auberge du Pommier. I’m not expecting a Michelin Star experience, and I’ve had that in New York just a few days ago (which by the way Alo cannot match with their current dishes). I do not want to sound like I hate this restaurant, but I do have a few pointers. And obviously, I’m not a great chef so perhaps someone else can point out to me how I am clearly missing the target. But when food is too sour, too salty, that to me is not meeting my expectations.

I get you need a credit card to make a reservation, sometimes. But at Alo, even when you get to the door you need to give them your credit card again. This is the only restaurant I’ve ever been to in my life that they ask you for a credit card when you are actually standing IN THE RESTAURANT!? I mean you have to take an elevator to get to the restaurant! Did they really think we could escape without paying!?! We would have to jump out of the second floor window!

This was my second visit to Alo as I wanted to try out the chef’s table tasting menu for $120 plus wine pairing. What can I say, Alo is still by far my favourite restaurant in Toronto!  For sure I will go back for a third time, either for the regular tasting ($90), or to try out the bar menu. Although the chef’s tasting was excellent, however for me, it was a bit too much food and towards to end I definitely felt like I over-ate.

We had an excellent experience dining at Alo Restaurant. <br/><br/>My boyfriend told me the reservations he booked was two months in advance.. so book early! The atmosphere is modern - "Nouveau French". I liked how spacious the restaurant was. The tables weren't packed together so there is more privacy during our dining session. Service was absolutely amazing - we were attended in good intervals. The servers knew the menu by heart!<br/><br/>They also changed the utensils for every dish that we had :D<br/><br/>DRINKS: <br/><br/>[to start off]<br/><br/>* cocktail bouteille pour deux<br/><br/>* reds<br/><br/>TASTING MENU<br/><br/>* AMUSE-BOUCHE (cheese puffs & mini foie gras cakes) (4/5)<br/><br/>This dish was a set of cheese puffs and foie gras cakes on a cute plating display. This was a great start to our tasting menu! The cheese puffs were still warm and the foie gras paste was perfection.<br/><br/>* VENETIAN CAVIAR, POTATO (5/5)<br/><br/>The foamy and creamy potato purée was a great pairing with the caviar. The potato taste was very light and contrasted the caviar's flavour very well. A light dish to start off.<br/><br/>* STRIPED BASS, CUCUMBER, HONEYDEW MELON, RICE (5/5)<br/><br/>This was one of my favourite dishes of the night. The striped bass was served as a sashimi, it was fresh, sweet and delicious. Each of the sides were marinated differently. A cute and unique display.<br/><br/>* PAIN AU LAIT (4/5)<br/><br/>My boyfriend loved this! This was sourdough bread with salt sprinkled on the top. We were generous with the butter that came with it, as the server advised.. It was soo good haha<br/><br/>* ANTEBELLUM GRITS, DUNGENESS CRAB, CORN, NORI (5/5)<br/><br/>Loved this! There was a strong taste of nori (seaweed) and sweet corn. The crab meats were in big chunks. The portion may look small, but it fills you up quickly.<br/><br/>* QUEBEC FOIE GRAS, SUNCHOKES, HIMROD GRAPES, VER JUS (4/5)<br/><br/>The foie gras chunks were delicious. I do like the sauce, but I don't love it haha. I felt like it overtook the foie gras a bit.. but yummy nonetheless.<br/><br/>* NOVA SCOTIA LOBSTER, CHESTNUT, SALSIFY, BRUSSEL SPROUTS (5/5)<br/><br/>I'd revisit Alo Restaurant for this dish alone. This was deeeelicious!! The lobster was poached to perfection. The sides were fresh and its flavours were distinct from the lobster itself.<br/><br/>* PACIFIC HALIBUT, CHERRY TOMATOES, SAMPHIRE, SHELLFISH EMULSION (3/5)<br/><br/>Compared to the lobster, this was definitely not as good. The halibut was fresh but was a bit dry. We felt like we needed to dip the fish in its sauce in order to enjoy this dish more.<br/><br/>* RACK OF PORK, PEACHES, PEPPERS, PISTACHIO (4/5)<br/><br/>We usually eat these rack of pork at Chinese restaurant so we were curious to see how Alo would cook them. It was great! The pork meat was juicy and went pleasantly well with the peaches and pistachio. Big points goes out to the pistachios!<br/><br/>* BEEF RIBEYE, MATSUTAKE MUSHROOMS, SPINACH, BERNAISE (4/5)<br/><br/>We felt like the vegetables that paired the ribeye overtook the main itself! The mushrooms and spinach were so good - all marinated with different sauces. The ribeye itself was good, but did not wow us as much as the sides.<br/><br/>* AMUSE-BOUCHE (popcorn ice cream with popcorn bits) (5/5)<br/><br/>I was sold the moment our server told us the amuse-bouche was popcorn ice cream!! It was light and had a great texture. Yummy yummy.<br/><br/>* HONEY CRISP APPLE, PUFF PASTRY, CALVADOS (5/5)<br/><br/>Loveeed this! It combines both the sourness and sweetness of apples in one dessert. The crispy cookie also stood out to us in this dessert.<br/><br/>* LAST OF THE SEASON BERRIES, ALMOND, FENNEL (4/5)<br/><br/>A colourful and cute display. A variety of mixed berries were part of this dessert. I'm not a big fan of raspberries but it was still pretty good :) <br/><br/>* DARK CHOCOLATE, MINT (5/5)<br/><br/>This was aaamazing! Note that I don't even like mint ice cream haha! The dark chocolate was a bit bitter. They've included milk chocolate in the mix, along with the mint chocolate, which balanced the flavours well.<br/><br/>To end off your tasting menu experience for the night, they give you an envelope with the list of the dishes and wine pairings. I thought this was a cute personal touch :) I'd definitely revisit when they change up the tasting menu later on :D

I was pleasantly surprised at how approachable this tasting menu is. Normally restaurants that do tasting menus tend to be stuffy and formal, and the offerings overly cerebral, verging on inedible art (not that that is always a bad thing, depending on your mood). Alo strikes a balance. Each dish was thoughtfully rendered, visually beautiful, yet gustatorily satisfying. At the end of the meal one felt really satisfied without being overstuffed (or underfed). I should mention the bread and butter course - although simple - is something I'd go back for again and again (their butter is house churned and really delicious, and the bread was reminiscent of a buttery brioche but square shaped). Service was impeccable: attentive and very thoughtful (we told the staff one of our party was celebrating a 50th birthday, so his menu was printed with "Happy Birthday" and they surprised him with a cake and candle). Really highly recommended, whether with small group or for a romantic date night, but book well in advance. Menu changes with the seasons so check ahead. Although set tasting menu (with optional wine pairings), if you have food allergies they are happy to accommodate. The waitstaff did ask us if any food concerns before we started the meal.

Came here for our one year anniversary. They gave us menus with "happy first anniversary" typed on them. <br/><br/>A perfect experience. Phenomenal food, wonderful service, and beautiful atmosphere. We had the 5 course tasting menu (which ends up being 8-9 courses with all the plates they give you in between). Simply wonderful. One of, if not the, best restaurant in Toronto.

Friendly, personable service, eye-rollingly delicious dishes. We tried the sharing plates at the bar (reservations in the restaurant have to be made 60 days in advance). We shared the hamachi, pork belly with sriracha, and kale and raisins. Everything was made with simplicity in mind, and a devotion to bringing out the boldest flavours. The pork belly was almost something of a confection, with its crackling roast skin caramelised, while the rest of the pork absorbed its salty soy and just-right spicy stewing sauce. You know a place has done it right when you're still raving about their dishes, days afterward. Can't wait to return, and may even do the absurd 60-day-in-advance reservation.

Worth at least one if not two Michelin stars.<br/><br/>Standard is exceptionally well upheld from dish-to-dish.<br/><br/>Scores above average to outstanding on every relevant metric throughout the experience.<br/><br/>Unusual observation: Sound insulated walls to reduce dining room noise and makes your table feel very private.<br/><br/>World class right here in Toronto...

The Quebec foie gras was so smooth and actually tasted like foie gras ice cream to me at first bite. It was just so incredibly smooth and didn’t resemble the typical grainy texture of foie gras to me at all.<br/><br/>The Asian Pear was very juicy and in a tiny shape of a teardrop. Everything was so fine and minuscule. The Koshihikari Rice tasted like a rice cracker while the Nori was just dry seaweed. Overall, for this dish, I loved the texture of the foie gras and its uniqueness!

This was the best food experience I have had to date. The place is stunning and romantic. The kitchen is open and you can watch the chefs in action. We each had one of two tasting menus so tried everything on the menu. My favourite was a pinenut mushroom cheese dish. We had the wine pairing and the staff were so knowledgable. I was extremely impressed. The whole meal took three hours. I cannot wait to go back (however it takes about two months to get a reso)

If you thought fine dining in Toronto was completely dead, you probably haven’t heard of Alo (@AloRestaurant). This tasting-menu only restaurant is one of the toughest reservations to get in town these days. Brought to us by Chef Patrick Kriss (previously at Spendido and Acadia) and General Manager Amanda Bradley (previously at George),  Alo stole the hearts of food critics across the city, earning a perfect four stars from both Amy Pataki of The Star and the notoriously tough Chris Nuttall-Smith from the Globe and Mail. Alo was also on every ‘Best New Restaurant’ list in Toronto last year and most recently, was named the 7th best restaurant in Canada (Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants). Needless to say, there’s a ton of hype surrounding this restaurant.

Yes, Alo is probably the best restaurant in Canada at this moment, says I, who is nobody but a wine and dine enthusiast is constantly broke from splurging on luxurious meals. But perhaps my claim is not entirely unsubstantiated – last time I checked, the top restaurant in Canada is St John’s Newfoundland’s Raymonds (for a few consecutive years) and in comparison to Alo, I found Raymonds’ tasting menu (with wine pairing) is of a lesser quality.

A tiny doorway leading to an “exotic” piercing parlour is your first step to entering Alo. You’ll realize you’re in the right spot when the narrow hallway leads to a hostess that’s there to greet, check-in and call down the antiquated elevator. Alo’s third floor dining room is a complete difference: swathed in shades of grey with a polished charm.<br/><br/>French gougères charms the tongue, prepping it for the rich foods to come. The creamy cheese filling spiked with jalapeno that’s mellowed by a sweet brûlée crust on the pastry. <br/><br/>The five-course meal ($89) actually turns into ten dishes served at a reasonable pace (we had a two-hour meal). Diners are offered a choice of two dishes for each course – one rich and the other sounding a touch lighter.<br/><br/>Bowls of foam and cream start each segment: for the savoury courses, a smooth broccoli cream studded with crumbles from the vegetable’s florets. Yet it was the tart lemon foam that ends with a ginger sting that’s most unexpected and revitalizing. The dish would have worked

Had to go after reading and hearing of this great restaurant. Lovely flavored and presentation of food, which I appreciate.<br/>Based upon other reviews, I appear to be alone on this. I prefer good or great food in a more interesting local and in this case a little too pretentious for my taste.<br/>Sommelier make a great wine suggestion.

Alo has burst onto the scene with the promise of bringing back the tasting menu while at the same time not jeopardizing the foodie’s right to choose. Stacked with well known names in Toronto’s culinary scene with Patrick Kriss at the helm, it has opened to great accolades including a bold endorsement as the city’s best new restaurant by the Globe and Mail’s Chris Nutall-Smith.<br/><br/>Instead of reviewing each individual dish, I will summarize by saying the food was good but not mind-blowing. I think it can best be described as rich and earthy with proteins which included snails, mushrooms, duck, fois gras and pork. There were also some options from the sea including halibut, salmon and lobster. Even with those, the earthiness was maintained with the use of ingredients like sunchokes, truffles, potatoes and artichokes. The proteins were cooked beautifully except for the duck which was overdone. If anything, some of the dishes were lacking acid and seemed a bit unbalanced but some of that may have been the way I ate them. For example, I found the first bite of the mushrooms very single-noted until they were mixed a little more thoroughly with some of the other ingredients and became a delicious forest porridge.<br/><br/>There is no dessert listed on the menu so ever before any hint of the final course, you are asked if you would like the optional cheese plate ($15). In the name of adventure we agreed. The featured fromage was Five Brothers, the delicious signature cheese from Gunn’s Hill in Woodstock and was served with fruit, honey and crackers. We ordered two plates was plenty for the four of us. Around the same time, we were asked our choice for the mid-dessert; dark, milk or white chocolate. We joked that, being the token Caucasian at the table, I was obligated to order the white chocolate. I went dark. Expecting the the chocolate right after the cheese, we instead received a small bite consisting of parsnip and espresso instead. It was fantastic. Afterwards the waitress, hearing our earlier conversation, brought both the white and dark chocolate to the table for me. Each was unique in its own way and even the white chocolate was quite good. Thinking the meal was done, a third dessert arrived in the form of an earl grey parfait (which retrospectively makes sense since she did say the chocolate would be a mid-dessert) arrived at the table. It was like some of the savory dishes in that it had to be eaten with a game plan. The ice cream itself was not strongly flavoured with earl grey unless you were sure to include some of the candied bergamot it was garnished with in each bite.<br/><br/>Alo has successfully resurrected the tasting menu in Toronto by offering a combination of good food and incredible service. Add a few surprises and you are left with a truly memorable experience. The foie gras and innovative dessert courses were the highlights of the menu. The attention to detail, from the tea box to the take away menu, is unmatched.

Alo opened during the summer and it's been the talk of the town, this little restaurant is right at the corner of Spadina & Queen on the third floor. The restaurant is mainly a multi course tasting menu. The menu consists of 5 courses with two options to pick from, $89. You can also have a seat at the chef's rail where you can watch the chefs prepare each course, this menu consists of about 20 tasting bites all chosen by the chef, $100.<br/><br/>Pomme Souffle<br/>Lameque Oyster<br/>Hamachi Loin & Belly <br/>Ontario Corn <br/>Foie Gras Torchon<br/>Tomato<br/>Peau de Lait <br/>Egg<br/>Chawanmushi <br/>Carolina Gold Rice<br/>Duclair Duck Breast <br/>Yorkshire Rack of Pork <br/>Cheese Course, +$15<br/><br/>Yellow Plum<br/>Milk Chocolate <br/>Cherry<br/>Cannele & Choux<br/><br/>I had the pleasure in grabbing in a seat at the chef's rail. I was blown away with every single bite they presented in front of me. My favourites were the Hamachi, Corn with corn sobet, Peau de Lait, Egg with corn, and the Pork.<br/>The hamachi was sandwiched in between two thin pieces of bread which was reminiscent of incredibly crisp skin. The corn dishes were packed with so much corn flavour, and since corn is my one of my favourite vegetables I was in corn heaven. The Peau de Lait had the core flavours of lasagna, so rich and creamy but the tomato cut through the fattiness of the milk. <br/>I've never had such perfectly cooked pork. <br/><br/>After every dish I was left wanting more and more, I could've eaten 5 plates of each dish.  Everything was beautifully presented, so much detail and care was put into each plate.

Toronto's best restaurant. Hands down. I travel and eat at the world's best. This is 'nouveau French' at its best. Highly creative, without feeling sick the next day because you've just eaten rare young rabbit (a la Mugaritz). Impeccable service. Fantastic setting.

Impeccable service, fantastic atmosphere that transports you to a world that is far away from the busy corner of spadina and Queen, lovely presentation often on beautiful ceramics, great French technique, but the food was not mind-blowing. It was very good and maybe even great for toronto standards, but none of the dishes (except the snails) were challenging or particularly thought provoking. The flavours were subdued and safe. Nonetheless, I hope Alo is the start of more great French cooking and technique in the relaxed Toronto style.

This post contains some images of our second dinner at Alo Restaurabt. We started in the Bar at Alo, the restaurant’s 20-seat section manned by John Bunner Tuesday to Saturday from 5 pm to 1 am. We drank cocktails (the +1 had a virgin cocktail. We ate Puffed grain granola for The Bar; Cerignola olives, lamb shoulder, eggplant $8; Pork belly, black pepper, sherry vinegar $8 and Crudité vegetables, buttermilk $8. This was followed by Pâté choux with caramel and vanilla chantilly cream $3 per piece.<br/><br/>We then went into the restaurant for dinner where we drank Lailey Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Niagara Peninsula, Ontario VQA dry white wine. The we gorged on Pomme soufflé, black pepper and sherry aoli (+1 had Pomme soufflé, sour cream); Amuse - buttermilk sorbet, English pea purée, almond oil, pea dust; Japanese Sea Bream - samphire, toasted nori, yuzu kosho powder aoli blanched sea beans diced kombu grated radish fleur de sel; Pemaquid oyster lightly steamed watercress sauce confit Yukon gold potato rounds acidic virgin butter watercress salad, nasturtium, red ribbon sorrel, pickled cultured cream cippo onions; House Bread - pain au beurre, cultured butter bar; B. C. Dungeness Crab - carolina gold rice, sea spinach, lime segments, juice and zest English pea shoots; Quebec foie gras - cured cockscomb, veal trotter, king oyster, burnt onion, bonito, stew of shallot, garlic, white wine, chive, sherry vinegar and chicken fat, sprayed sherry vinegar; Hamachi - bread crusted maitaki kohlrabi pickled pearl onion rings sherry vinegar, chanterelles; Yorkshire rack of pork - roasted, chard mustard greens charred grapes veg grape vinaigrette preserved ramp and hot mustard purée frisée pickled mustard seeds/garlic scapes toasted walnut; Dorset Lamb shoulder - raw vegetables baby turnip gem lettuce, treviso, squash purple mustard, baby fennel, fennel fronds anchovy preserved lemon/pickled ramps, olive oil/ramp liquid, sheep's milk yogurt; Pre dessert amuse - Caramelized plum purée - golden plum sorbet, puffed bulgur and bitter almond foam; Whipped milk chocolate ganache - stout cake, malted meringue, milk jam; White chocolate cremeux - cucumber granite, carmelized white chocolate crumble; and Vanilla honey cream, fresh Ontario berries, berry chips, lemon thyme, raspberry red currant purée & powder.

We bemoaned the day that Patrick Kriss left Acadaia Restaurant in Toronto. It's been a long two years. Finally he is back with his new Michelin star worthy Alo restaurant at 163 Spadina Avene. The drought is over. We were very fortunate to be able to obtain a reservation on opening night. Patrick Kriss launched the restaurant with a five-course tasting menu for $89. But it is more than a five course menu There were amuse bouche items including a green asparagus purée and buttermilk sorbet. The amuse is followed by such dishes as a Quebec Foie Gras in a veal trotter broth and a Dorset Lamb shoulder with raw vegetables and sheep’s milk yogurt. Pastry chef Cori Murphy has designed the dessert selections and guests are asked to choose dark, white or milk chocolate as the main component of the first of the dessert courses. In all a flawless opening night experience. We shall return for more. Soon!

We were very fortunate to score reservations for the opening night of Patrick Kriss' new Michelin star worthy Alo Restaurant We drank Domaine Zinck Pinot Gris 2014 Alsace France while earing pomme soufflé, black pepper and sherry aoli; Amuse - green asparagus purée buttermilk sorbet raw diced green asparagus almond oil shaved asparagus; Kusshi oyster lightly steamed watercress sauce confit Yukon gold potato rounds acidic virgin butter watercress salad, nasturtium, red ribbon sorrel, pickled horseradish cippo onions; Fluke - kelp, toasted nori, yuzu kosho powder aoli blanched sea beans diced kombu grated radish fleur de sel; Bread - pain au beurre, cultured butter bar; Quebec foie gras - cured cockscomb veal tendon broth of veal trotter, rooster, burnt onion, bonito, stew of shallot, garlic, white wine, chive, sherry vinegar and chicken fat, sprayed sherry vinegar pass; B. C. Dungeness Crab - crab head/fat french butter and glaze double shucked peas crispy black rice fermented chili lime segments, juice and zest English pea shoots; Hamachi - bread crusted maitaki kohlrabi pickled pearl onion rings sherry gastrique pickled honey mushroom; Dorset Lamb shoulder - raw vegetables baby turnip gem lettuce, treviso, snap peas purple mustard, baby fennel, fennel fronds anchovy preserved lemon/pickled ramps, olive oil/ramp liquid, sheep's milk yogurt; Yorkshire rack of pork - roasted, chard mustard greens charred grapes veg grape vinaigrette preserved ramp and hot mustard purée frisée pickled mustard seeds/garlic scapes toasted walnut; Pre dessert amuse - white asparagus sorbet - lemon purée caramel chip toasted amaranth; White chocolate cremeux - cucumber granite, carmelized white chocolate crumble; Dark chocolate sorbet - cremeaux coconib nougatine sesame dacquoise sesame espuma sour cherry; Strawberry bavarois - hibiscus gel sable celery leaves/shavings fresh strawberries